Walking down the halls of Belmont Secondary, you can hear the familiar tune of Linus and Lucy on the piano competing for dominance against a choir singing Silent Night – the holiday season has arrived.
More than 100 students are preparing for their annual winter concert on Thursday, Dec. 5.
“There’s always going to be a little anxiety for the younger ones, but generally it’s a lot of excitement and pride in what we’ve accomplished,” said Sheryn Basham, a Grade 12 student.
She’ll be singing Girl From Ipanema in a vocal jazz ensemble with Grade 10 student Rachel Nordby.
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“The whole concert prep has been a stressful situation, but it’s brought us all together,” Nordby said. “It’s great when you have the chance to show your love of music to other people.”
This year there will be a variety of choirs, bands, student solos, and even a winter drumline.
Students from Grade 9 through 12 are putting in overtime to make sure their performances are sharp. They spend hours practicing after they’ve already been dismissed for the day and other students have gone home.
“It’s exciting to work this hard and finally have it pay off after two or three months,” said Steven Macaskill, a Grade 11 student. “When you have to play for up to two hours, it really tires you out. When we practice, some days are more serious and others are more fun and lighthearted. It all depends on how we play.”
The event takes place in Belmont’s Spotswood Gym, 3041 Langford Lake Rd., on Thursday, Dec. 5 starting at 7 p.m.
Admission is by donation. For more info, head over to www.facebook.com/events/492549008274836/.
aaron.guillen@goldstreamgazette.com
@iaaronguillen
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